US$56.4 million from Visa on Arrival (VoA)

Wow , amazing, . . . The Bali provincial administration contributed US$56.4 million from Visa on Arrival (VoA) revenue to the national tourist industry in 2011. Ida Bagus Kade Subhiksu, head of the provincial tourism office, told Bali Daily on Tuesday that he was expecting that the revenue from VoAs would increase this year in line with the rising number of foreign tourists.

In 2011, Bali welcomed 2.75 million foreign tourists coming from 162 countries. In 2009, Bali contributed only $32.57 million in revenue from VoA. This surged to $50.58 million as the government enforced new VoA regulations. 



Previously, the Law and Human Rights Ministry stipulated that foreign visitors entering Indonesia were required to pay US$10 per person for those holidaying in Indonesia for up to seven days. Meanwhile, visitors who planned to stay longer had to pay $30 per person when entering the country.

Since February 2010, any foreigner visiting Indonesia is required to pay a $25 fee for a Visa on Arrival.

Subhiksu said there were several countries that had a visa free agreement with Indonesia, including ASEAN member countries — Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia and Myanmar.

Up to February 2012, Bali had already collected $9.7 million from VoAs, a slight increase from the $9.3 million in the same period last year. The increasing number of tourists has also had a positive impact on the island’s economy, Subhiksu added.

“Tourism has a direct and indirect impact on people’s economic condition thanks to the provision of jobs, as well as the demand for local handicrafts and other products,”
he said.

The island’s creative industry contributed $3.96 million in revenue to the island’s economy, an estimated 47 percent of the total revenue of the national creative industry.

Mari Elka Pangestu, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, insisted that Bali had always been Indonesia’s top tourist destination.  “We are hoping that every party will work together to improve the quality of tourist facilities and Green construction in Bali and to develop sustainable tourism,” Mari said.

The national tourist industry has already obtained $8.5 million in revenue in 2012, most of the money came from Bali.
This Article : US$56.4 million from Visa on Arrival (VoA) : Sources at
http://www.thejakartapost.com/bali-daily/2012-06-20/bali-visas-bring-us564-million.html